In The Midst of Life We Are In Ed
by StickyLickySweets
Summary: Edd and Eddy attempt to cope with the inevitable, after the diagnosis. EddxEddy.


Okay.. So this is something a bit different--This was an RP MysticLynx and I did together which I'm now trying to adapt into a linear story. These first two chapters are (pretty much) in tact with the exception of corrected spelling mistakes. You know, stuff no one cares about when you're doing an RP. As the story progresses and as more overlap comes up, I'm trying to retain as much of the original intent as possible. We'll see what happens. I just wanna post now so I'm obligated to finish. Thank you for reading, dear.. Er.. Uh.. Readers. =D

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In The Midst of Life We Are In Ed

After a_ long_ day of schmoozing and earning the big bucks, arriving home should have been a relief. Unfortunately for Eddy, it wasn't.

Knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel, Eddy pulled into the parking lot of his stylish, if not a bit cheap, apartment.

Well.. it wasn't just -his- apartment.

It had been five years since their escape from the cul-de-sac and Eddy couldn't have been happier with the set up. Sharing an apartment with his longtime best friend, Double D -while totally unappealing at first- had turned out to be the best move he'd ever made. They had managed a system between them, somehow balancing their own methods of give and take; Eddy dealt with the finances (naturally!), so Double D cleaned. Eddy cooked, so Double D picked up the groceries, and so on and so forth. It was much like their childhood in a way.

There were problems, sure, but even those seemed to lessen when it became obvious how much each of their ways of life began leeching into the other's personality. Soon, Double D didn't find it necessary to nag Eddy so much about leaving the toilet seat up. Eddy wasn't nearly so worried about how much money Double D took from his account. Slowly but surely, Double D had found a new place in Eddy's life and wormed his way into Eddy's heart.

It had been a disaster waiting to happen, but inevitable all the same.

Trying to calm his shaking limbs, Eddy took a deep breath and fingered the lump in his pocket. He pulled out the small black box and stared at it. They'd been together for over two years now and it was those years of laughter, bitterness, tears, and perfection that brought Eddy to this point. He still didn't know how he'd gotten the nerve… and he suddenly had no idea where he'd misplaced all that nerve just a moment ago.

With a sigh that shook his whole body, Eddy shoved the box back in his pocket. Laid his head on the steering wheel. "You can do this, Eddy! Get out of the fucking car and go cook him his favorite dish and- and-!" Eddy groaned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I'm out of my goddamn mind…"

Eddy stepped out of the car, barely managing to catch himself on the hood. His legs were shaking so badly. No matter how many times he berated himself for his weakness, he couldn't stop it… Taking a few more deep breaths, Eddy slammed his car door and made his way inside the building. "Showtime…" He mumbled to himself and made his way up the stairs.

*          *         *          *           *  

It seemed off to Double D.  Sure, he had just sat down to a cup of cooling tea, but it was so.. so -imperfect- and it _mocked_ him from all the way across the room.  
   
Approaching the wall opposite the sofa for what must have been the fifth time in the past hour, Edd raised himself on the balls of his tiny slippered feet.  Made the oddest, exasperated squeak as he reached up and just barely touched the off-centered picture frame. Tilted it roughly 2.5 degrees counter-clockwise... using where the two walls met to make a corner as his plum-line.  
   
Satisfied, at least for the moment, Edd relaxed and stepped back.  Joyously cupped his hands together and placed them beneath his chin as he smiled. It was a nice picture, he had to admit... usually photos taken of himself made him cringe.  
   
This particular photo had been taken last August... In fall, when all the trees were at their brightest--even if the photo was in black and white, the contrast was quite clear. He knew taking Eddy with him on his fieldwork for his photography class would be... counter-productive, to say the least, so Edd had remembered to bring a few extra cartridges of film.  
   
_'Really... what a wonderful picture,'_ he giggled, staring on at himself and Eddy in the picture frame--Eddy grinning wildly, holding the camera facing both of them as Edd tried his hardest to hide in the crook of Eddy's arm--leaves on their clothes, leaves on the ground--leaves in their hair.  
   
"Hm.." he sighed, sadly reminding himself how nice it WOULD have been if it had been in color._  If –only- I'd brought different film. _

Limping back to his place on the sofa, Edd didn't give much thought to rubbing the stage 1 bedsore forming on his bony hip. He shouldn't have been up without his crutch... But even after all this time, it was somehow still so easy to forget he needed it.  And in spite of the difficult time he had getting down onto the couch again, he smiled when he looked around their modest, but decently sized apartment.  His _roommate_ always complained that it was too small, but really it was an excellent home when everything was in it's proper place.  When everything was _perfect_...

Perfect.. for_ Eddy_...  
   
"Gasp!"

His dopey, dream-induced smile disappeared with the small breath that escaped his lips.  His heart fluttered as he instantly recognized the familiar jingling of keys at the door.   He'd forgotten his crutch -again- when he raced against the cre-e-e-eaking noise of the door opening--almost tripping himself up on the carpet before realizing he should maybe double-back and grab it, lest Eddy see him without. But_ the desperation _with which he needed to settle in front of that Heavenly Gate overpowered him.  He HAD to be the first thing Eddy saw when Eddy opened that door.


End file.
